The Glory Ending Explained, Is it Based on a True Story?

The Glory – TV Series 

“The Glory” is a popular South Korean TV series that is available for streaming on Netflix. It was created by Kim Eun-sook and directed by Ahn Gil-ho. The show stars several well-known actors and actresses, including Song Hye-kyo, Lee Do-hyun, Lim Ji-yeon, Yeom Hye-ran, Park Sung-hoon, and Jung Sung-il. The series is divided into two parts, with the first part being released on December 30, 2022, and the second part premiering on March 10, 2024.

Both parts have been highly praised by critics and have been well-received by audiences. “The Glory” has been recognized with multiple nominations and awards, including eight nominations at the 59th Baeksang Arts Awards. The show ultimately won three awards, including Best Drama, Best Actress for Song Hye-kyo, and Best Supporting Actress for Lim Ji-yeon.”

The Glory Ending Explained

Towards the end of the series, Dong-eun takes revenge on Yeon-jin by using her own crimes and cruelty to bring down her abuser. Dong-eun makes sure that Yeon-jin is connected to two deaths in which she played a significant role. The first death was that of Yoon So-hee, who was one of Yeon-jin’s other bullying targets in high school. Yeon-jin set fire to So-hee’s sweater while the two were on the roof of an abandoned building, causing her to fall to her death when she reached out for help.

Yeon-jin also played a part in the murder of Myeong-o, who tried to blackmail her over So-hee’s death. Dong-eun makes it clear to Kim Gyeong-ran, the store attendant who delivered the killing blow, that Yeon-jin must be held responsible for Myeong-o’s murder. Dong-eun ensures that Yeon-jin has no one by her side when she faces justice and imprisonment.

Yeon-jin’s husband discovers her infidelity and history of bullying and divorces her, taking their daughter to the U.K. Dong-eun also manipulates Yeon-jin’s mother into killing Kang Hyun-nam’s abusive husband and betraying Yeon-jin to save herself from jail. It’s apparent from Yeong-ae’s behavior that Yeon-jin learned her cruelty from her mother, who scolded her daughter and tried to cover up her role in So-hee’s death instead of supporting her in facing accountability for her actions.

The series depicts punishment for other remorselessly cruel characters as well. Myeong-o is murdered, Jae-jun is pushed off a building by Ha Do-yeong, and Lee Sa-ra is sent to prison for stabbing Choi Hye-jeong. Yeon-jin’s mother goes to jail, and Dong-eun’s mother goes to rehab for her alcohol abuse.

The Glory Cast  

The Glory Based on True Story

The best Korean thrillers often draw inspiration from real-life events, and The Glory is no exception. Creator Kim Eun-sook was motivated to make the show after a conversation with her daughter about bullying, a longstanding issue in South Korea. School violence in the country has become so serious that suicide has been the leading cause of death since 2007. Eun-sook researched the topic and based the torturous bullying scene in the first episode on a real-life event that occurred in 2006 at a girls’ school in Cheongju. Three girls targeted and tortured a ninth-grade girl for over 20 days, burning her with a curling wand. She suffered injuries, including a protruding tailbone, and was hospitalized for six weeks.

During a press conference, Eun-sook shared that her daughter had asked whether it would be more heartbreaking if she were beaten to death or if she beat someone to death. The Glory serves as a response to that question, as Eun-sook wanted to ensure that if her daughter ever experienced such a situation, she would have the ability to handle it herself.

The Glory Synopsis 

In the Korean thriller series, The Glory, the main character is a former victim of school violence seeking revenge on her former bullies. She takes up a job as a homeroom teacher at the elementary school of one of the bullies’ child. The series is inspired by real-life events, including a 2006 incident in Cheongju, South Korea, where a group of middle schoolers extorted money from their classmate for a month, repeatedly beating and burning her using various objects.

The series creator, Kim Eun-sook, was moved by her daughter’s question about whether she would be more heartbroken if she were beaten to death or if she beat someone to death. The Glory aims to answer that question, suggesting that the victim has the power to take care of the problem herself if it ever occurs again.

The series addresses the longstanding problem of bullying in South Korea, where school violence has been a leading cause of suicide since 2007. The show’s harrowing scenes shed light on the issue, and some of the events depicted in the series are based on real-life inspirations. By exploring the effects of bullying on the victim and those around them, The Glory highlights the need for society to address the problem of school violence and promote safer, more inclusive environments for children to learn and grow.

The Glory Review

“The Glory” is a Korean drama series that premiered in 2021, directed by Ahn Gil Ho and written by Kim Eun Hee, the same writer behind the popular Netflix series “Kingdom.” The show boasts a star-studded cast, including Song Hye-kyo as Park Yeon-jin, a successful lawyer grappling with her past, and Lee Do-hyun as Yoo Ji-tae, a young man drawn into Yeon-jin’s complicated world. The story centers around Yeon-jin, whose seemingly perfect life is shattered when a former high school friend reappears and brings to light dark secrets from their past.

As Yeon-jin navigates the tangled web of lies, deceit, and murder, she and her allies seek to bring justice and revenge to those who have wronged them. The series is lauded for its strong female characters, particularly Song Hye-kyo’s Yeon-jin, who is complex and relatable, as well as the compelling performances by the rest of the cast, including Lee Do-hyun. “The Glory” is also praised for its gripping storyline and tight pacing, making it a must-watch for fans of Korean dramas and thrillers that value character-driven storytelling.

How to Watch The Glory?

“The highly anticipated series “The Glory,” starring Song Hye-kyo, Lee Do-hyeon, and Lim Ji-yeon, is now available for streaming on Netflix. You can easily access it through your Roku device. Additionally, “The Glory” can also be rented or purchased on popular streaming platforms such as Amazon Instant Video, Google Play, iTunes, and Vudu. For those who prefer to watch it for free, “The Glory” can also be streamed on Pluto.”